Widening its probe into the IPL imbroglio, a team of economic investigators is being sent by the Government to Mauritius to probe certain companies through which several hundred crores of rupees are suspected to have been routed into some consortiums owning league cricket teams.
The decision to send the teams was taken after preliminary probe by central investigative agencies showed that large amounts of funds were moved through specific Mauritius-based firms which were set up in 2008 when the first IPL came into being.
Official sources said the special team consisting of members of the economic wing of the finance ministry will leave for the tax haven soon and will focus on all transactions that were routed to "some" IPL franchise.
They said a Dubai based venture, owned by a few NRIs, has also come under scanner as it is believed that a few individuals associated directly or indirectly had parked their money for infusion into one of the franchises.
The move comes close on the heels of Income Tax department pursuing alleged slush funds in the money spinner IPL headed by Lalit Modi.
Along with other economic agencies, the Enforcement Directorate will become part of the multi-faced probe that has been initiated by the government into IPL following the controversy which has already claimed the scalp of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.
The I-T has asked the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) to respond by Friday, April 23, to 10 queries, including the one on income from controversy-hit IPL and its structure.
The government has said "no guilty or wrong-doer" will be spared and all aspects including the sources and routes of funding of teams. PTI
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